Dispenser units arranged to dispense countermeasures from aircrafts are well known. Both fighter and transport aircrafts, as well as civil aircrafts are exposed for threats from self-guided missiles equipped with radar, IR or laser sensors, which can be fired either from other aircrafts or from the ground. In order to protect the threatened aircrafts from an attack of such missiles they are provided with various types of dispenser units which dispense countermeasure means. Such countermeasure means may comprise aluminized foil or fibers, pyrophoric IR materials, flares and also laser-reflecting fibers or foils, which confuse and divert missiles aimed at the aircraft.
The amount of countermeasures in the form of aluminized foil, fibers and chaffs carried by aircraft is substantially limited due to the great number of different weapons, sensors, cameras and external fuel tanks carried by the aircraft.
Document WO-A2-03/0974453 discloses a system and method for conversion of external fuel tanks on aircrafts into airborne stores. The fuel tank may be converted into a countermeasure dispenser pod by a complete re-configuration of the internal structure of the tank in order to accommodate a chaff dispensing assembly. The dispersion of the chaffs is controlled by an electronic control box. The conversion procedures consists of adapting the external fuel tank-aircraft interface to the requirements of the stores system, adapting the pylon to the new functionality, reconstructing the fuel tank to the new functionality, and enhancing the internal stores management and control systems such as to provide additional controlling and monitoring functions. Thus, when the fuel tank is converted into a chaff dispenser pod also the control systems in the aircraft are converted. Also, the hard points or weapon stations on the aircraft must be so performed or converted that an external fuel tank can be installed at the hard point. Additionally, the electrical terminals at the hard point between the electrical control box in the converted fuel tank and the stores control console in the aircraft must be so performed or converted that the electrical control box in the converted fuel tank and the stores control console in the aircraft can communicate with each other.
The fuel tank converted into a chaff dispenser pod is provided with a chaff dispersal chamber in the rear of the converted fuel tank. Chaffs are dispersed through chaff dispersal doors arranged in the rear chaff dispersal chamber. The chaff dispersal doors are arranged in a downwardly direction in relation to the converted fuel tank and the aircraft. Thus, the chaffs will be dispensed in a substantially downwardly and backwardly direction in relation to the aircraft.
The objective problem to be solved by the present invention is to increase the capacity of countermeasures on aircrafts.
Another objective problem to be solved by the present invention is to easy and quickly adapt the aircraft for different missions.
A further objective problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an aircraft with an arrangement for countermeasures without changing the design of the aircraft.
A further objective problem to be solved by the present invention is to increase the protection of an aircraft against incoming threats.